Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,110 per month in Geneva vs $3,550 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,453 per month in Geneva vs $5,422 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,795 per month in Geneva vs $7,295 in Meilen, rent included.

Geneva costs about 16% more than Meilen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geneva and Meilen sit above the global median – Geneva by 207%, Meilen by 165%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.47 CHF 29.64

$31.33 CHF 24.78

19.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$150 CHF 118

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.30 CHF 14.47

$18.66 CHF 14.76

-1.93%

Cappuccino

$6.04 CHF 4.78

$6.19 CHF 4.90

-2.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 CHF 4.30

$6.08 CHF 4.81

-10.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.77

$5.29 CHF 4.19

-9.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.82 CHF 7.77

$8.43 CHF 6.67

16.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.57 CHF 6.78

$7.45 CHF 5.89

15.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-3.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 2.99

$3.28 CHF 2.60

14.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 CHF 3.41

$4.12 CHF 3.26

4.61%

Eggs

$7.68 CHF 6.08

$7.52 CHF 5.95

2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.00 CHF 21.35

$29.67 CHF 23.47

-9.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.58 CHF 26.56

$33.85 CHF 26.77

-0.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.5 CHF 41.53

$50.4 CHF 39.86

4.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 CHF 2.80

$4.24 CHF 3.35

-16.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 CHF 2.42

$3.02 CHF 2.39

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 CHF 5.11

$5.22 CHF 4.13

23.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CHF 2.06

$2.50 CHF 1.98

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$2.29 CHF 1.81

3.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.05

$2.58 CHF 2.04

0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.05

$1.14 CHF 0.90

15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.71

$10.99 CHF 8.69

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 CHF 10.11

$15.56 CHF 12.31

-17.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.64

$2.16 CHF 1.71

54.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CHF 2.97

$2.27 CHF 1.80

65.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 CHF 2.86

$4.03 CHF 3.18

-10.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.7 CHF 67.0

$98.2 CHF 77.7

-13.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 CHF 5.92

$6.87 CHF 5.43

9.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 CHF 2.88

$4.14 CHF 3.28

-11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 CHF 50.8

$78.9 CHF 62.4

-18.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-2.23%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.7K CHF 31.4K

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

-3.08%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$50.2K CHF 39.7K

$39.5K CHF 31.3K

27.02%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$259 CHF 205

$255 CHF 201

1.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.41 CHF 39.08

$59.4 CHF 46.96

-16.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 CHF 49.69

$57.5 CHF 45.51

9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 CHF 64.9

$88.9 CHF 70.3

-7.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.50 CHF 28.88

$65.1 CHF 51.5

-43.97%

Cinema Ticket

$24.98 CHF 19.76

$27.58 CHF 21.82

-9.43%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$3,424 CHF 2,708

$2,847 CHF 2,252

20.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

$39.3K CHF 31.1K

-14.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 108

$142 CHF 112

-3.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 64.0

$62.5 CHF 49.46

29.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 131

$149 CHF 118

10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$210 CHF 166

$200 CHF 159

4.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,357 CHF 1,865

$1,669 CHF 1,320

41.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CHF 1,581

$1,442 CHF 1,141

38.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,802 CHF 3,798

$2,880 CHF 2,278

66.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,866 CHF 3,058

$2,497 CHF 1,975

54.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.0K CHF 18.2K

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

60.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.6K CHF 13.9K

$10.6K CHF 8,399

65.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,748 CHF 6,128

$8,496 CHF 6,720

-8.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.09

17.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Geneva: April 28, 2026

Last update for Meilen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,357 in Geneva versus $1,669 in Meilen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Meilen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $149 in Geneva versus $150 in Meilen. Groceries tell a different story – $680 in Geneva vs $669 in Meilen – so Meilen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Geneva vs Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,165 per month in Geneva and $5,325 in Meilen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meilen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $149 in Geneva and $150 in Meilen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,110 in Geneva and $3,550 in Meilen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Meilen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Meilen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.